316 Prof. Schoenbein on Current Electricity, 



tion, nevertheless acts upon the particles of water placed be- 

 tween the electrodes, in such a manner as to turn their hydro- 

 gen side towards the cathode (peroxide), the oxygen side to- 

 wards the anode (platina), and to diminish or destroy the che- 

 mical attraction mutually exerted by the oxygen and hydro- 

 gen of each atom of water. Now if we admit of such a state 

 of things, it is not difficult to conceive how the hydrogen of 

 that particle of water which is contiguous to a particle of 

 peroxide of lead, can combine with one proportion of the 

 oxygen of the latter (peroxide). The second equivalent of 

 oxygen of this substance being of itself rather loosely united 

 to lead, and having its affinity for the said metal still more 

 weakened by the tendency of the acid to unite with the prot- 

 oxide of lead, we may consider the second equivalent of ox)^- 

 gen as almost free, and consequently as endowed with a great 

 affinity for hydrogen. Being in such a condition it can easily 

 unite with the hydrogen of that particle of water which is in 

 immediate contact with the peroxide, and the combination of 

 the two elements will take place the more readily, that the 

 hydrogen is, from the reasons above stated, likewise in almost 

 a single state. The oxygen set free from the said particle of 

 water must, from obvious grounds, combine with tJhe hydro- 

 gen of the second particle, the oxygen of the latter with the 

 hydrogen of the third, and so on, until the whole row of par- 

 ticles of water placed between the electrodes have, as in 

 common electrolyzation, undergone a similar decomposition 

 and recomposition. Oxygen must, of course, be at last dis- 

 engaged at the positive electrode. According to the chemical 

 principle of galvanism, the deoxidation of the peroxide, or 

 rather the oxidation of the hydrogen of water, ought to excite 

 a current, being of itself capable of electrolyzing water. There 

 is no doubt that such a current is produced, but from the 

 fact which I am going to state, it appears that its electro- 

 lyzing power is in some way or other counterbalanced. Sup- 

 posing one end of a platina wire to be covered with peroxide 

 of lead and the other end left free from this substance ; put 

 both ends of the wire into a solution of blue vitriol, but the 

 first so as to make the fluid rise a little above the peroxide. 

 My experiments having shown that in these circumstances 

 the platina end is to the peroxide end like zinc to copper, it is 

 obvious that if a current were circulating in the arrangement 

 on account of the deoxidation of the peroxide, it would enter 

 both the immersed portions of the negative end of our pla- 

 tina wire, the metallic part as well as that covered with per- 

 oxide. Such being the case, hydrogen ought to be set free 

 at the said metallic part, or rather copper (by secondary ac- 



